It Takes
by seren-mercury
Summary: Long after the settled dust has been swept someone must stand-in for their fallen queen... post S2 finale, short fic, semi speculative, more than a quarter pure imagination


**A/N:** Yes I have written before, no I have not written in this fandom and no I am not secure in this post, concrit is readily accepted. I hope someone out there doesn't think it sucks. Though if you see where it can be improved do not hesitate to suggest. I'm so very rusty. Thank you.

**Summary: **Long after the settled dust has been swept someone must stand-in for their fallen queen...

**Disclaimer:** No infringement intended, no profit made, property of others who are actually paid...

**Title:** It Takes

All of them have their doubts. The realization hits at different moments for each, the time when it dawns that she may mean more than either claims, and they fear for him. They have prayed and hoped for something, for someone he deserves. Someone who was not ripped untimely from this world to the next. But when it comes, when she takes on that mantle, they are unsure. Can anyone truly fill this place, this which is more like a void now that the other was lost? They are wary, cautious, mindful, and so very afraid for the man that has carried them so far. The man that brought them together, and showed them that a few may triumph over many. She is a natural fit but...

So they watch, wait, and hope their doubts are unfounded...

And it takes until that day. When their broken leader has his former love's murderer in the line of his recurved bow. It has happened before but this is the first time it will be unjustified. The code forbids the taking of his life at this juncture. It will not prevent anyone else's death now. They stand in the great hall of that castle and break slowly as he does not hear a single one's voice. His friends, his comrades, his soldiers, his gang. They all plead but he is not listening. It has taken the semblance of years, nevertheless they have all seen him this way. Now, though, they know it is a point of no return. Because when this noise, this cloud, comes to pass there is only one voice that breaks through the din. And that voice has long since been silenced by steel. So they reason with a wall, they implore every tactic resignedly. He is lost, their captain. He is drowning and they have never learned to swim. Their words will have no meaning. They cannot be heard over the raging of the storm.

Then, it takes until then for them to see, when all is gone, that she belongs.

She steps forward and lays a hand on his left arm.

"Leave me to this, it is no concern of yours." He answers, unmoved.

"You are about to waste one of my arrows. That I cannot allow." He speaks her name as a warning but she pays no heed. "Do not go to this place. You are more than that." He tightens his grip in response. "Robin."

"You know what he has done, you know what he will do. He deserves this." The volume and desperation grows with each word and his bow, an extension as always, annunciates his anger and pain with him.

"I don't like him. I'm rather sure I hate him actually. Which is why you cannot do this." The confusion of course is not exclusive to their leader and they almost visibly lean in as her voice grows more quiet yet more sincere and commanding. "If you loose that arrow, if you kill him now you will be no better than he is. You will have taken a life unnecessarily for revenge, for vengeance, you will be killing him for the same reason he murdered her. And in the process you will just as ugly as he is, as ugly as the man she could never love. You are better than him and he does not deserve to take that away. To take what made you worthy of her and her love."

He gave a strained protest by way of taking the final aim once more before a strangled yell escaped his throat and he lowered his weapon. In that last moment before the man could flee however she raised her own arrow and made sure to graze his arm.

"I never said he had to leave unscathed."

And then he is their hero once more, as he looks with new found wonder at the woman at his side. And they all know, for once the knowledge of it is completely mutual at the same moment. It takes until that particular instant in time for all doubts to be laid to rest. There stands Robin of Locksley, their champion and England's, next to him, her, his lady and savior. And he is the only man they know that deserves two.

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